News

Building Chicago Public Schools for the Future Posted Nov 14, 2011

Back in September the nearly 409,000 students of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) returned to either new or improved facilities. With 675 Elementary, Charter and High Schools, CPS is the third largest school district in the United States, yet still manages to be one of the most prominent in innovative and sustainable design and construction.

Since 1998, CPS has invested over $2 billion in new construction, renovation and upgrade projects to ensure Chicago's children are receiving a first-rate education in sophisticated facilities equipped with the technology and resources they need to succeed. In 2006, in further support of their mission to “offer a high quality world class education for the 21st century”, former Mayor Richard M. Daley initiated a partnership between CPS and the Public Building Commission of Chicago to create the “Modern Schools Across Chicago (MSAC)” capital program. The highly successful program, which is funded by both CPS General Obligation bonds and Tax Increment Financing (TIF) backed bonds, includes 17 new schools and two major school renovation projects of which 16 projects are already complete and three are under development.

The MSAC program has incorporated a number of sustainable initiatives into these new facilities in order to increase the efficiency, cost-effectiveness and life-cycle of their facilities while teaching students about their environmental impact and responsibility. Sustainable measures include diversion of construction waste from landfills; utilization of recycled materials in construction; green roofs; enhanced natural light; solar-powered features; high efficiency heating and cooling systems; low flow/low consumption water usage; responsible landscaping; and aggressive storm water management. All projects are designed to achieve a minimum LEED Silver certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).

Cotter has played a key part in the success of many of these MSAC and other CPS projects. One of Cotter's Senior Project Managers (SPM), is currently serving as Design Oversight Manager as part of CPS's Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Program Management Team. Our SPM has been charged with developing, reviewing and updating specifications and renovation guidelines to meet CPS standards, assisting in developing the capital plan, oversight of scoping project and the development of the transfer package, and monitoring projects that they are delivered on time. Additionally, Cotter's role includes maintaining lessons learned, oversight of moves and creating facility performance standards for CPS that were mandated by a new state law.

Another Cotter Project Manager was also brought on to assist our SPM on the program. Much of the renovation work that CPS is now doing involves school accessibility and ADA compliance, and our PM will eventually manage the ADA program from the project management side. Additionally, Cotter's staff has been involved in these CPS projects from the Public Building Commission side through our PBC Program Management contract including the PBC's Sustainability Manager and multiple project managers that Cotter is providing for the program.

Cotter is proud to be part of a program that enriches the educational experience of Chicago's youth.

Cotter Wins Multiple Transportation Projects Posted Nov 14, 2011

Cotter's transportation group is going to be very busy come this spring. Cotter was selected as the prime consultant to provide the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) with phase III engineering services for construction inspection of the improvements of IL-31 at IL-176 (East Terra Cotta Avenue) and at Terra Cotta Road.

Additionally, Cotter was part of teams selected for three Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (ISTHA) projects. Cotter will serve as a sub-consultant to T.Y. Lin on their contract to provide construction management services for the I-294 Roadway and Bridge Rehabilitation from Cermak Road Plaza - Plaza 35 to Franklin Avenue and as a sub-consultant to Chicago Testing Laboratory, Inc. on their contract to provide construction management services and materials engineering services upon request. Cotter will also serve as a sub-consultant to V3 Companies on their contract to provide construction management services for the I-88 Roadway and Bridge Rehabilitation from IL 251 to Annie Glidden Road.

Cotter is thrilled to be a part of all these exciting projects and to provide IDOT, the Tollway and our project teams with the quality services they have come to expect of our staff.

Project Profile: LUREC Posted Nov 14, 2011

When one pictures the life of a Loyola University Chicago student, it usually doesn't involve harvesting vegetables, bee keeping, and feeding chickens, but that is exactly what is going on at the Loyola University Retreat and Ecology Campus or LUREC. The LUREC, an 87-acre sanctuary in Bull Valley, Illinois, offers urban college students a rare opportunity to learn first-hand about ecology, sustainability and biology.

The Campus not only provides a site for study and research of the environment and ecological sustainability, but also serves as a place for spiritual and intellectual growth through retreats and adventure programs. The retreat aspect of the LUREC provides a peaceful setting where individuals and groups are empowered to do the work necessary for reconnection and renewal of the mind, body and spirit. Also, in accordance with the Jesuit tradition that Loyola is founded on, the retreat center supports the spirit and principles of Transformative Education. (Reference: http://www.luc.edu/retreatcampus/pdfs/faculty%20and%20staff%20brochure.pdf)

While the Campus is currently open and being used by students and retreaters alike, there are still a number of additions in progress and to come. The campus, which is divided into the Retreat Center on the south half and the Ecology Center on north half, added an ecology lab, classroom, and herbarium workroom this summer. Currently, a food service lab with a demonstration kitchen inside the building, a food processing shed located next to the vegetable plots and a hoop house located in the north farm area are underway. The food service lab will be used by students to practice the study of food sciences as well as the LUREC Chef to hold cooking classes. The food processing shed will allow for the cleaning, packing and storage of the campus's vegetable harvest. The vegetables will continue to supply the LUREC kitchen and will also be available for purchase. The addition of a hoop house from Cuneo Mansion to the LUREC will be used this fall for seed starting for spring plants and also to keep plants warm enough to grow throughout the winter.

Additionally, a half acre garden provided vegetables for the students and retreaters this summer, but eventually this will grow to a more expansive three acre garden. Also, the chickens and bees that were cared for this summer by students will be joined by cows and goats in the future, which will enable the campus to start producing its own cheese. An emergency generator will also be installed this fall. The ultimate goal is for the LUREC campus to be ‘off the grid', meaning that all of the campus' energy and sustenance needs will be met onsite.

The LUREC is a unique opportunity for college students living in a metropolitan area such as Chicago as well as retreaters to get back to nature and understand all that goes into producing the things we take for granted being provided for us every day.

Cotter is pleased to continue our nearly 10 year record of success collaborating with Loyola on this exciting project. Cotter Senior Project Manager, Joyce Scholefield, has been onsite overseeing the renovation of the facility, and managing the programming and design process with key University personnel since October of 2010. Cotter is continuing to provide Loyola with the superior level of service that they have come to expect of Cotter and instills them with confidence that their project will meet their goals, budget and schedule.

Cotter Tests Alternative Uses for GPS Posted Jul 26, 2011

In Spring of 2010, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Bureau of Construction expressed an interest in using GPS technology for documentation of construction quantities and developed a procedure for certifying consultant's GPS equipment for this purpose. Using Topcon's HiPer Lite equipment, Cotter Consulting was the first consultant to utilize this procedure. While the work was performed entirely by Cotter employees, we also arranged for representatives of Topcon to be present during the procedure to answer any technical questions that the Department might have regarding the function of the equipment and the use of GPS technology in general. Cotter was successful in being the first consultant to gain the Department's approval. Our employees were trained to use the equipment in preparation for use on Cotter's IDOT Various Phase III Projects contract.

As part of our Various Phase III Projects contract for 2010-2011, a pilot project was organized by Cotter with IDOT field engineers to demonstrate the use of GPS technology on a resurfacing project that involved complicated pavement area measurements. Through the use of GPS, we were able to document pavement areas more efficiently and accurately than traditional methods could provide. Cotter presented the collected data to IDOT in various ways including field sketches, CADD files, and raw geodetic data. A committee of IDOT District One staff met to discuss the information and is in the process of deciding on a documentation policy to make GPS useful to the Department.

GPS technology was also utilized by Cotter in 2010 on the successful Cedar Road Bridge project for the Will County Department of Highways. Our use of this technology saved the County many man-hours in consultant costs in accurately documenting contract quantities and resolving layout issues before they resulted in additional costs to the project.

Cotter is currently using GPS technology on the Big Timber Road Bridge project for the Kane County Division of Transportation. This project began with the relocation of a creek containing threatened species and many other environmental considerations. GPS is being used by Cotter to aid in this environmental effort and it will be used for the roadway and bridge reconstruction in the same ways it was used for the Cedar Road project.

The benefits of using GPS technology on infrastructure projects are numerous. Cotter is excited to see the expanded use of this technology in our projects and hopes to continue finding new applications and uses for this technology that will assist us in exceeding our clients expectations and project goals.

Town of Normal Sets Example for Multimodal Projects Posted Jul 26, 2011

With nearly 210,000 boardings and alightings in 2010, The Bloomington-Normal Amtrak station is the fourth busiest station in the Midwest and the second busiest in the state of Illinois. In order to accommodate this growing ridership, the Town of Normal is building a new Multimodal Transportation Center that will encompass rail (Amtrak), mass transit (Bloomington Normal Public Transit System - BNPTS), over the road buses (Greyhound, Megabus and others), automobiles (400 parking spaces in a five-story parking deck), taxi service and bicycles (Constitution Trail bike path). The project is the centerpiece of a much larger Uptown District redevelopment that will be vital to the Town's future economic and population growth.

Cotter is providing project management and is responsible for all project accounting and federal compliance documentation for the project. We are also providing a Project Manager based out of Normal to be readily available to the client. Additionally, Cotter is providing commissioning services for the project in pursuit of LEED Silver Certification.

The 65,000 square foot facility is a four-story contemporary design of brick, stone, glass and steel, and is framed by a new award winning round-about designed by Peter Schaudt. The multimodal, its food court, retail and general community information areas will occupy the first floor while the upper three stories will house the new city hall and become part of the Town's administrative campus. Since the Town does not have a prominent court house or civic center, the facility will serve that function displaying a 12-foot diameter clock and tower positioned on the front elevation.

The project is affiliated with the highly anticipated new high-speed rail line. It is estimated that rail service between Normal and downtown Chicago will eventually reduce travel time to one hour and forty-five minutes potentially making Normal a commuter town.

Dependent on state and federal funding, the project requires rigorous federal compliance documentation including Buy American certification. Cotter tracks the funding from various sources and approvals from multiple agencies. Each agency has varying levels of authority and all come with their own requirements, many of which conflict with each other. Specifically, the project is being administered through the Federal Transit Authority (FTA) as part of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) and is funded through the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant. It is the first project to begin construction under this type of federal grant and is the farthest along in construction. As the first project, it has become a test case and will be used as a best practice example for others to follow.

Currently, both the City of Joliet and Moline are in the planning phases of their own multimodal facilities. The profound effect that these facilities will have on job creation, real estate development, tourism and rail speeds, make them desirable to many smaller cities and towns along rail lines looking to revitalize their communities and economies. Transportation of America Director, James Corless, said about the Normal Multimodal, “We need to translate this into a national movement... we want more of this.” The success of the Town of Normal Multimodal is clearly setting a precedent for not only the State of Illinois, but the entire nation.

Cotter's Wisconsin Office ThrIving at GMIA Posted Jul 26, 2011

Cotter's Wisconsin Office, located on bustling Water Street in downtown Milwaukee, has taken off since its opening last fall. With a number of recent project awards, we are very excited about our recent successes at General Mitchell International Airport (GMIA), particularly following our milestone win of the Residential Sound Insulation Program at O'Hare and Midway International Airports this past year.

Cotter was chosen for the General Mitchell International Airport Baggage Claim Remodeling project as a subconsultant to Mortenson Construction. The project consists of construction management services and a constructability review for a complete remodel of the existing baggage claim building's main floor. All of the internal and external finishes, walls, ceiling and roof systems will be removed down to the existing building structural elements. All mechanical, plumbing, electrical, communications and baggage handling systems will be replaced. The basement level of the building will not be altered, except for the removal and replacement of the baggage conveyor system. The project will replace five baggage carousels while ensuring only one carousel is out of service at any given time. There will be a strong emphasis on maintining circulation of people and vehicles throughout the phased construction. Construction is expected to start early 2012 with a completion date of mid 2013.

Cotter was also chosen for the GMIA Maintenance Building Redevelopment project as a subconsultant to Gilbane Company. The project includes the construction of a Snow Equipment Storage Building, a Fleet Maintenance Building Addition, and a new Runway Abrasive Storage Facility. The scope includes preconstruction and construction management services. The preconstruction portion will begin in late 2011 and the construction portion of this project will span multiple years beginning in March of 2012 and continuing through 2013.

“Cotter Consulting is pleased to be teamed with high caliber construction management teams for these two projects,” says Nahid Keltner, Group Manager - Milwaukee Office. “We recognize the critical nature of these projects, along with other capital improvements, taking place at GMIA. Cotter is committed to building the infrastructure to serve and sustain long-term relationships and growth at GMIA.”

Cotter News and Awards Posted Jul 26, 2011

Cotter News

Cotter has been selected to serve as a sub-consultant to CH2MHill for construction engineering of projects along the I-94 North-South Freeway in Kenosha for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT).
Cotter has been selected to serve as a sub-consultant to AECOM for The Corridor Controls Team contract on Highway I-39/90 for WisDOT.
Cotter has been selected to provide commissioning services for the new Advanced Protein Crystallization Facility at Argonne National Laboratories.
Cotter has been selected to serve as a sub-consultant to Rise Group for the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority Hyatt Regency Hotel Expansion and Renovation.
Cotter has extended project management services to various higher education clients including Northwestern University and Loyola University Chicago.
Cotter recently completed commissioning services for the Army Corps of Engineers Fish Barrier project.
Cotter was selected to provide commissioning services for the renovation of Loyola University's Halas Hall.

Awards

The Northwestern University Prosthetics and Orthotics Center was awarded the 2011 Chicago Building Congress Merit Award for Interior Buildouts. Cotter provided Owner's Representative services for the project.

I-LAST: Greening Illinois' Roads Posted Apr 28, 2011

With the growing success and wide-spread publicity of the United States Green Building Council's (USGBC) Leadership in Energy Efficiency and Design (LEED) rating system in the buildings market, it was only a matter of time before a similar system was adopted for the transportation market. The Illinois-Livable and Sustainable Transportation (I-LAST) rating system and guide, developed by the Illinois Road and Transportation Builder's Association (IRTBA), the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois (ACEC-IL), debuted last June and was officially presented to the public this January.

“Cotter has managed over 100 LEED certified building projects since 2002,” notes Anne Cotter. “We are prepared and committed to manage transportation projects to achieve I-LAST certifications. We are dedicated to the growth of sustainable buildings and infrastructure.”

I-LAST is the third guideline of its type in the country along with similar programs in New York and Washington State. As explained in the manual itself, the purpose of I-LAST is to:

“Provide a comprehensive list of practices that have the potential to bring sustainable results to highway projects; establish a simple and efficient method of evaluating transportation projects with respect to livability, sustainability, and effect on the natural environment; and record and recognize the use of sustainable practices in the transportation industry.”

I-LAST, like LEED, is a scoring system that awards points for taking sustainable measures on road and transportation projects. Unlike LEED, due to the inconsistent nature of highway and road projects, not all projects are scored the same. There are a total of 153 potential ways, divided into eight categories, to achieve points in the rating system, each with a value of 1-3 points and resulting in a maximum possible score of 233 points. Each project, however, is evaluated only on its achievement of the potential sustainable practices that are applicable to each project, not all 153 practices in the system. The system also allows for regular changes and updates, as new technologies and strategies are developed standards will be modified as well.

I-LAST is a voluntary program, designed only to promote sustainable practices across the transportation industry, not mandate it. The manual can be used by various parties involved in a project including consultants, IDOT and municipal staff on projects large and small. These regional and state programs are already proving so successful across the country that a national program developed by the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Public Works Association and the American Council of Engineering Companies is launching next month. If the local success of the LEED program is any indication, it won't be long until Illinois is not only leading the way in certified buildings, but road and highway projects as well.

Reference:
Cleaver, L. (March 2011). Illinois Promotes Sustainable Highway Projects with I-LAST. Asphalt Contractor. Retrieved from: http://www.forconstructionpros.com/publication/article.jsp?pubId=2&id=19807&pageNum=1

Cotter Celebrates Earth Day Posted Apr 28, 2011

This month, and on April 22nd in particular, people all around the world celebrated Earth Day, with millions pledging to be more green in their daily lives on the Earth Day Network website. At Cotter we are proud to practice sustainability all year long; here are just some of the ways Cotter staff supports sustainability around the office and in the field:

Cotter staff have worked on over 100 LEED projects and 18 employees are LEED professionals.
As part of the Program Management Organization for the Public Building Commission, Cotter staff has managed the program sustainability and LEED certification processes for all PBC projects since 2007.
We are a firm member of the United States Green Building Council and support the Greenbuild Conference and Exposition and Emerald Gala.
Cotter encourages the use of public transportation through our Transit Program which allows employees to purchase CTA and Metra passes with pre-tax dollars.
We donate outdated collateral materials to Chicago Public Schools instead of throwing them away
Our Chicago office has a filtered drinking water system, instead of stocking bottled water, and uses green cleaning supplies.
We return printer ink cartridges and company phones to the manufacturer to be reused or recycled.
Staff often use car sharing services to travel to and from project sites.
The building management of Cotter's downtown office sorts all office trash and recycles appropriately.

Cotter also recognizes that environmentally sustainable buildings are better for our clients and our environment. Through our Sustainable Services division we offer a variety of services to assist clients in developing high-performance green buildings that are more comfortable, sustainable and offer cost savings year after year. Our goal is to help our clients make buildings environmentally sustainable and improve our clients' bottom lines. Our services include:

Sustainability Consulting Solutions and Strategic Planning
Sustainability Program Management
LEED Facilitation
Commissioning, Retro-Commissioning and Continuous Commissioning
Energy modeling

For ideas on how to be greener in your home and personal life, visit the link above and add your pledge to a Billion Acts of Green. For more information on our Sustainable Services please contact Jan Turner, Vice President of Buildings.

Cotter News and Awards Posted Apr 28, 2011

Project News:

Loyola University's Norville Center for Intercollegiate Athletics opened March 3rd. Cotter provided project management and commissioning services for the $25 million project.
Educare has resumed progress on its new West DuPage facility and hosted a ground breaking ceremony on April 21st. Cotter is providing project management and commissioning services for the project.
Episcopal Diocese of Chicago will break ground this month on the St. James Commons renovation and addition project. Cotter is providing as project management services for the project.
Cotter has been selected to serve as a sub-consultant to Mortenson Construction for the General Mitchell International Airport Baggage Claim project.
Cotter has been selected to provide inspection services for WisDOT's I-94 East-West Resurfacing project.

Staff News and Awards:

Anne Edwards-Cotter, President and CEO, was awarded the 2011 Outstanding Alumni Award from Bradley University. Anne was also selected as an "Honorary Alumni" of Mount Carmel High School for 2011.
Jan Turner, Vice President, was selected to join the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) Regional Chapter Committee.

Project Profile: Urban Stream Reasearch Center Posted Apr 28, 2011

With the financial assistance of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the administration of the project from DuPage County, Division of Stormwater Management; the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County (FPDDC) broke ground on the 6,000 square foot Urban Stream Research Center (URSC) in May of 2010. Cotter Consulting was present from the early stages of the project's design in 2008, serving as Owner's Representative and providing expert project assistance and advice to the owner for the environment -sustaining project.

As a result of an EPA superfund project, significant sections of the West Branch DuPage River and Kress Creek within Blackwell and Warrenville Grove Forest Preserves were cleaned of low-level radioactive sediments deposited decades ago. Through this remediation process, significant river bed, bank and floodplain restoration measures have markedly improved the aquatic habitat within the river. Through additional grant funds provided by NOAA and the Natural Resource Conservation Service, the DuPage County Stormwater Management Division administered projects with the Forest Preserve District to further enhance the ecological restoration of the river by the McDowell Grove Dam removal, the anticipated Warrenville Grove Dam removal and the creation of the Sanctuary Pond overwintering pool habitat in Blackwell Preserve. These integrated and collaborative projects are resulting in the restoration of high quality aquatic habitat throughout 7 miles of the river that had been degraded by urbanization impacts over the last forty years.

Now that the aquatic habitat is restored, the centerpiece of the restoration plan is the URSC, a state-of-the-art facility designed so the Forest Preserve District could achieve its formal objectives to:

“Augment the population densities and increase the diversity of freshwater mussel and fish species that are in decline or extirpated in the West Branch DuPage River; evaluate the success and impacts of ongoing habitat restoration and remediation projects along the river; improve the success of urban aquatic habitat restoration and enhancement; and provide educational opportunities for the public and other groups.”

The building, located on the recent 40-acre Cenacle acquisition addition to Blackwell Forest Preserve in DuPage County houses aquatic and quarantine laboratories, vestibule, lobby, office, and toilet rooms, as well as a garage, and mechanical & storage areas. Construction was shallow foundation, load-bearing masonry, with prefabricated wood trusses for both flat and sloped roofing systems. All utilities had to be brought into the undeveloped site, including three separate water distribution systems (well, domestic, and creek) for the various experiments planned. The building has stand-by generator backup, lightning protection, and is fully-monitored with not only fire and security, but aquaria life-support alarms as well.

The $3 million construction also implemented best management practices (BMP) into the site design such as solar lighting, permeable pavement, rain gardens, bioswales, and a wet detention basin and will include educational signs and exhibits regarding the BMP in order to demonstrate ways the public can help protect water resources and river systems. The rain garden, for example, informs visitors how to reduce the impacts of storm run-off.

Previously there were no facilities located in Illinois to support freshwater mussel propagation and fish augmentation. In fact, only 13 such facilities can be found in the country. Freshwater mussels will now be propagated at the USRC in order to augment the populations or introduce lost species to increase the diversity of native freshwater mussel species and their fish host species. Additionally, the USRC will be utilized to encourage interdisciplinary research and education between colleges, universities, research institutes and local, state, and federal conservation agencies. Research activities will include improving the understanding of microhabitat needs for species survival, improving the success of species re-introductions, and evaluating the success of habitat restoration techniques in urban aquatic environments.

Cotter was proud to work on such an environmentally sensitive project that enhances the DuPage County's natural resources, supports species re-introduction, and advances ecological research and education. Drew Miller, project manager for the USRC, exhibited tremendous dedication, collaboration and knowledge on the project, demonstrating perfectly the “Cotter Way” to delivering superior services. John "Ole" Oldenburg, Director of the Office of Natural Resources of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, raved about Drew's performance, saying:

“I gained a tremendous respect for the skill sets and expertise brought to our project by Cotter and greatly appreciate the diligence, professionalism and thoroughness exhibited by Cotter staff in providing direct oversight to the project. The Urban Stream Research Center would not be the superior facility it is today without Cotter's on site dedication, familiarity with the diversity of construction trades and disciplines, the diplomacy to address multiple personalities and ‘managing' forces, and the foresight to address challenges before they became real problems.”

PBC "LEED"-ership Posted Apr 28, 2011

What makes Chicago “America's greenest city”? Chicago ranks number one in municipally-owned, LEED certified buildings, with a total of 41, and according to the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), currently ranks third in the Country for number of LEED buildings overall, with 223 certified and 516 registered. The Public Building Commission of Chicago (PBC) has built 32 of these buildings beginning with the LEED Platinum certified Chicago Center for Green Technology in 2002.

The PBC has consistently led the way in sustainable design and construction of the City's school and municipal buildings, including public schools, libraries, fire and police stations and public parks and field houses. With each of these projects, the PBC is pioneering new and innovative ways to make their projects environmentally sustainable.

PBC efforts start with best practices for resource conservation, such as energy efficient building envelopes and mechanical systems and water saving fixtures. They have expanded to combine technologies currently on the market to further improve resource conservation while being mindful of first cost and maintenance impacts. Some of the technologies PBC has come to routinely consider or include in projects are:

Geothermal Systems: Geothermal systems, or ground source heat exchange, were found to have a reasonable return on investment for many new construction municipal building types. Coupled with practical maintenance considerations, geothermal has become the system of choice for many buildings. Current drilling equipment makes deep geothermal well drilling possible, and makes this a fine choice for tight urban sites. PBC has even pioneered a shared wellfield geothermal system, with a fire station and a library on adjacent sites, to maximize economies and further practical energy savings.
Rainwater Harvesting: Rainwater harvest systems have often been used for landscape irrigation in Chicago and recent PBC projects have incorporated rainwater harvest for indoor nonpotable water use

Recycled and Local Materials: Many standard building materials, such as steel, have high recycled content. Others, such as gypsum products, can be specified with high recycled content, with no loss of performance and minimal difference in cost. Many materials are made in the Chicago region, and are great choices for LEED as well as the regional economy. With a little research and a proactive procurement strategy, recycled and local materials can be very achievable!
Microturbine Generators with Waste Heat Recovery Systems: Gas fired microturbines generate electricity and heat. The electricity is delivered more efficiently than electricity generated at coal power plants. The waste heat can be used for building and domestic water heating too. In addition, newer technologies can harness the waste heat for evaporative cooling systems, for a year-round increase in efficiency. The PBC has explored microturbines on several buildings, and is continuing to evaluate performance, particularly in comparison to other energy saving strategies such as geothermal exchange systems.

Cotter Consulting, Inc. is a key part of the PBC's Program Management Organization (PMO) team. Cotter Senior Project Manager Deeta Bernstein, LEED AP BD+C, serves as sustainability manager for the PBC, and has managed the program sustainability and LEED initiatives and processes since 2007, Suzie Mosher, Keisha Johnson and Joe Folliard serve as project managers throughout the project delivery process, and Roberta Forester and Aleshia Yates serve as project administrators for the program. Additionally, Cotter's commissioning group, including Patrick Polhemus, Group Manager, Roxanne Cortinas, Commissioning Authority, and Justin Starr, Associate Commissioning Authority, have provided commissioning services for multiple PBC projects through our partnership, SSRCx/Cotter.

Cotter was selected by Inc. Magazine to be included in the fourth annual Inc. 5000 List, an exclusive ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The list represents the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy-America's independent-minded entrepreneurs.

Under Jan Turner's leadership as President, the Chicago Chapter of the Construction Managers Association of America won the CMAA Chapter of the Year Award for Mid-Sized Chapters.

The Chicago Transit Authority's Dearborn Subway Track Renewal Project has been named an Honor Award winner in the 2011 Engineering Excellence Awards Competition hosted by the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Illinois. Cotter provided safety oversight and field inspection services for the project.

Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation Synagogue was awarded the 2010 Design Evanston Award for Architectural Design: Public Use. Cotter provided project management and commissioning services for this LEED Platinum project.

Cotter was selected to serve as Owner's Representative providing project management services for several Capital Improvement Projects at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center located at 2525 South Michigan Avenue.

Cotter Opens Milwaukee Office Posted Dec 30, 2010

Cotter Consulting is proud to announce the opening of our third office at 735 North Water Street in Milwaukee. The Milwaukee office will serve as a center for business development in Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin. We will offer our full range of program and project management, construction management and commissioning services to the transportation, buildings, aviation and healthcare markets.

"This is an exciting time for our staff, our clients and our industry," said Anne Edwards-Cotter, president of Cotter Consulting. "We look forward to putting roots down in a market we've been working in for many years."

Cotter has a long history of providing services in both the transportation and buildings areas in Wisconsin. Opening an office in Milwaukee at this point in Cotter's evolution is demonstrative of how Cotter has grown - and succeeded - organically over the past 20 years.

The office is headed by Group Manager, Nahid Keltner, P.E., LEED AP. Ms. Keltner will be responsible for business administration, business development, client relations and staff management and development.

"Milwaukee is the perfect location for Cotter to open its third office," said Ms. Keltner. "We have strong relationships here and will continue to draw on our years of experience to deliver results for our clients."

Cotter Awarded RSIP Contract Posted Dec 30, 2010

Since 1995 the City of Chicago Department of Aviation's Residential Sound Insulation Program (RSIP) has insulated over 12,000 homes surrounding O'Hare and Midway International Airports, greatly reducing the impact of aircraft noise in those homes. It is a world-class program unlike any other in the nation.

Cotter Consulting, having worked as a trusted subconsultant on the program since 2004, was recently awarded the $30 million, five year Program and Construction Management contract as prime consultant for this first-rate program. Cotter and our subconsultants, R.M. Chin & Associates, Inc., CivCon Services, Inc., Rodriguez and Associates, Inc., and DeAngelo McDonough Construction Management, have a historic knowledge and understanding of the City's intent for the RSIP and will provide a seamless transition into this role.

The Cotter team will provide comprehensive program and construction management, and homeowner and support services to ensure the program meets its goals while remaining on budget and schedule. The team will be responsible for numerous tasks, including the following:

Overall implementation and management oversight
Program and project scoping, budgets and scheduling
Community interface support
Design management oversight
Construction oversight and inspection
Documentation
Safety management
Contract administration, procedures, modifications and invoices
Creating all handbooks, bid packages and program manuals
Coordination with City, State and Federal agencies and officials
Weekly and monthly status reports

The RSIP is one of the most successful resident-focused programs in the history of the City of Chicago. Ninety-six percent of all homeowners who participated in the program have reported that they would recommend it to their friends and family. The City of Chicago Department of Aviation is now depending on Cotter to maintain the program's reputation for excellence.

Looking Back on 2010 Posted Dec 30, 2010

2010 was a momentous year for Cotter Consulting. Despite a challenging economy and reduced budgets, Cotter Consulting kicked off a number of exciting projects and reached successful completion on many others.

The much anticipated Town of Normal Multimodal Transportation Center, for which Cotter is providing owner's representative services, broke ground this past August. Cotter joined the Town of Normal and state and federal officials to mark the occasion. The 68,000 square foot transportation hub plus four-story parking garage will serve Amtrak, the Bloomington-Normal Public Transit system and local transit buses, and will be completed in the summer of 2012.

The University of Chicago broke ground on its Reva and David Logan Center for Performing and Creative Arts this past May. Cotter's partnership, SSRCx/Cotter, is providing commissioning services for the project which will increase space and resources for the University's visual arts, theater and performance, music, cinema and media studies programs. The center, designed in the modernist style, will stun onlookers with its eleven-story, 155-foot tower including open air terraces and roof top decks. The new center is on track for completion in March of 2012.

The Chicago Transit Authority's Dearborn Subway Track Renewal Project was completed in March. Serving as a subconsultant to Parsons Brinckerhoff, Cotter provided safety oversight and field inspection services for the $88 million project. The renewal project eliminated slow zones along the Dearborn subway line allowing trains to run safely at higher speeds and resulting in faster travel for Chicago's commuters.

With the opening of our Wisconsin office, the expansion of our Healthcare division and the continuing innovation and growth of our Buildings and Transportation groups, Cotter looks forward to an even more exciting and prosperous 2011.

Cotter Celebrates Milestone 20th Year Posted Dec 30, 2010

The year 2010 marked Cotter's 20th Anniversary as a leading project/ program management, construction management and sustainable services firm. Cotter commemorated the landmark achievement all year long, topping off the festivities with a celebration at Carmichael's Chicago Steakhouse on Sept. 9.

"I want to thank all of our clients, so many of whom we've worked with for so many years, for the trust they place in us and for the great projects they allow us to work on," said Anne Edwards-Cotter, president of Cotter Consulting, speaking at the event. "I'm also very grateful to all the Cotter team members, past, present and future, for their dedication to our clients and our company."

Anne Edwards-Cotter opened the firm in 1990 after receiving a civil engineering degree from Bradley University and spending nine years at Chicago-based construction firms Schal Associates, LaSalle Partners and Walsh Higgins. Over the past 20 years, Cotter has served the transportation, buildings, healthcare and aviation industries, successfully completing more than 500 projects.

Cotter's notable projects include multiple projects at O'Hare and Midway Airports, West Hall at McCormick Place, and several projects with Loyola University. The Mansueto Library for the University of Chicago marked a significant achievement for the firm, as its first major project as a prime consultant.

"I remember very well my first assignment [with Cotter]," said Deeta Bernstein, Senior Project Manager and Cotter's most tenured employee, who also spoke at the event. "Even at that time Cotter was already focused on providing excellent services in a client-oriented and collaborative manner and that approach really resonated with me."

Clients and employees toasted Cotter's 20th year, enjoying hors d'oeuvres, drinks and cupcakes as a jazz trio played in the background.

Cotter Consulting